What is Sunlight ?

SUNLIGHT – is energy from the sun travelling towards earth at the ‘speed of light’ in the form of ‘Electro Magnetic Radiation’ similar to radio waves but in a different frequency range, however not all of it reaches earths surface.

30% is reflected back into space,   46% is absorbed by earths atmosphere,  and only 23% reaches the surface of the earth.

Of the sunlight reaching earth,  2% is Ultraviolet radiation,  49% is Visible light and 49% is Infrared radiation.   Solar energy, runs or or should I say Fuels the motor of the earth heating up the atmosphere, land and oceans, it generates wind, promotes plant growth, feeds the animal life and in time is responsible for the production of our fossil fuel.

Sunlight can transmit 1000 watts/ metre² of energy at earths surface

 How to Capture Sunlight

Sunlight can be captured and transformed into usable energy in two destinct ways.

1 . Through ‘Photo voltaic’ devices such as ‘solar panels’ which convert sunlight directly into electrical energy which may be used directly to power the household appliances or channeled into the electrical grid.

2 . Through the use of ‘Solar Thermal Concentrators’ which convert solar energy directly into ‘heat’ energy. This heat may now be used to power steam turbines which will generate electricity or used directly as in ‘hot water systems’ or as in our case for SOLAR COOKING.